Trends in blow moulding technology

TECHNICAL developments and changing market trends influence blow moulding technology. This is most evident in the food and packaging sectors which influence plastics applications. Bekum is one of the pioneers in blow moulding equipment. Its CEO, Andreas Kandt, who assumed his post in 2013, speaks about the company, the business, and the Asian market.

 

 

Andreas Kandt, CEO, Bekum

 

FPMJ: What is your main focus as CEO of the company?

Bekum's annual sales volume at the moment is around €80 million, with 370 employees. Within 24 months, we hope to have it up to €100 million. To this end, we have set ourselves goals across all areas of the business. They cover a number measures aimed at improving our processes, optimising our purchasing, making project management more efficient and coordinating better between our subsidiaries in the USA and Brazil and our European plants in Berlin and Traismauer. We have brought new experts on board, who are able to offer us the necessary experience.

 

FPMJ: How do you aim to achieve a high annual sales volume?

The target is ambitious, but eminently achievable given our resources. My commercial focus will enable that dream to become a reality. This is exactly why intensifying customer relations is at the top of the "To Do" list. We have a twofold approach to putting Bekum's already strong relationships with our customers on a new footing. Up until now, we have been recognised as machine suppliers.

 

Cooperative efforts with selected partner companies are no longer an issue when seen in the context of forging ahead with our project business. Today, our high performance machinery operates in a largely automated environment with constantly changing market demands. For our worldwide customers, not only our own contribution to the system, but also the entire concept has to be correct. In a global context, the Bekum Group, therefore, needs efficient and reliable partners in project business. The second aspect is directly related to this. In the future, our consulting team must be able to show its expertise with regard to product development.

 

Brand owners in the packaging sector need a consultant who fully understands how to make packaging functional and appealing. The trend continues strongly toward customer-specific solutions and blow moulding, as a process, can point the way. An open-minded approach to design allows us to help create product specific solutions, which lead to strong brand differentiation in the marketplace. In terms of marketing, this is a classic argument in favour of our technology. For example, an interesting niche is the dairy market, but also other segments.

 

FPMJ: Bekum is largely successful in America and Europe. What are the expectations in Asia?

I think one needs to view the Asian markets in terms of marketing and location. It goes without saying that in the future we want to be able to offer our customers in the western market a service equal to, if not better than, the one we already do. With this is mind, new marketing opportunities are arising in Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkey and India, to name just a few regions in the east. China is naturally an extremely dynamic market with great volume. For this reason we are looking into the possibility of a location "east" of Berlin. We need to investigate whether this is something that we could do in cooperation with China or in Asia generally. We do know that we will be expanding into the east soon in order to be able to supply the regional markets there. However, we also know that our future development will not change how we approach the technological demands of the entire company or the brand.

 

FPMJ: How is blow moulding distributed across the different sectors?

Initially, we need to turn our attention to the packaging sector. It is vibrant and of worldwide interest. We differentiate between customers in the consumer goods and industrial packaging. In the USA, co-polyester plays a significant role; globally, it is solutions in PP and LDPE or HDPE that make up about 85% of the applications. As I have already said, when it comes to the brand differentiation of our customers' products, blow moulding technology is of particular appeal. There is a catchphrase: Individualise the packaging; move away from the perception of mass production. An effective, energy-efficient production for medium-sized production lots is required, shaped by frequent mould changes and production change-overs. Approximately 25% of applications are co-extruded moulded parts, as multi-layer packaging with up to 6 layers extending the shelf life of the packages' contents. These applications form part of our core competencies, as, on the machine side, our own extruders, extrusion heads, spiral distributors or, for high-output production, our Tandem Blow, allow us to stand out from the competition. A Bekum blow moulding machine stands for longevity, currently in its 7th generation series. The clamping unit with the so-called C-frame, patented in 2010, is the most advanced system of its kind on the market. The wide spectrum of machine sizes allows for attractive individual solutions from our modular systems for sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals or medical. Sectors in which, by the way, our electrical blow moulding machine, EBLOW, will become increasingly important.

 

FPMJ: What can we expect in terms of machine technology from Bekum?

We are currently working on the technology to expand platforms. The electric blow moulding machine will be a definite, considerable focus. Here, we will expand our leadership role with regard to technology and market presence. No one has such a persuasive electrical drive technology concept as we do. We will continue grow and strengthen in this area. We will also reorganise our staffing. At the turn of the year, a new technical director joined us. His responsibilities are to increase our portfolio, integrate system partners, and further develop control and sensor technology. The focus of the new technical management at Bekum is rheology, extrusion technology, and head technology. In agreement with the Service Department, we will be focusing on the area of retrofitting. Hardly any other used machines in the plastic industry are as sought after as those from Bekum. Even after 25 years of service, the purchase of a second-hand machine is still a good investment. Companies in emerging markets start out with a used Bekum blow moulding machine and then, when they have made enough money, move on to a new Bekum. It fits in very well with long-term marketing strategies.